Preparing for Library Leadership

The task of finding and developing potential leaders from within the library profession requires an understanding of what a leader is, as well as the challen es that librarianship will face as it enters the twenty-first century. ~ f i s article explores five fundamen- tal leadership competencies: vision, communication, trust, risk-tak- ing and em owerment and examines how individuals learn from personal an ! organizational experiences. It sug ests ways of incor- porating programs and activities into the workp k ace that support the development of leadership skills. If everyone within the library community assumes responsibility for recognizing untapped talent and providing developmental opportunities for it to mature, it will ensure that the library field has a pool of competent, confident, com- mitted leaders for the future.